With a little medical mystery, a little computer espionage and a lot of cybersex and murder, Mortal Fear is the ultimate thriller. A serial killer infiltrates Eros. Known by many usernames, he toys with women while trying to achieve a higher purpose. The main character, Harper, is a hero, a villain and a victim, being placed into every possible category during this constant race against time trying to save victim after victim. Harper's personal life, his job and his dalliances on Eros (the sex site he worked for) all come into play during the investigation.This book is very long, but surprisingly faced paced. I was completely sucked in. The computer aspect of the book is interesting. Although clearly advanced for the time period, I felt a spark of nostalgia reading about how computers and the internet operated over a decade ago.This is real crazy, mind-blowing stuff. There were lots of disturbing parts, mostly more psychological than gory, although gore certainly had its place too. Mortal Fear is definitely not for those squeamish about sexual crimes and taboos. Sex and high tech are melded to create an exhilarating and terrifying thriller.
This is a great thriller. Sure some of the tech. talk (AOL, Compuserve) dates it, but no more than a book mentioning Facebook or Instagram written today, might be dated 10 years or so in the future. I certainly doesn't take away from the story, which works on a number of levels. This novel is better than your average, run-of-the-mill serial killer novel. The reasons the killer murders his victims are twofold and the way he hunts his victims is clever. This is an intelligent killer. I love the way he toys with the authorities, running circles around the police and FBI. Lots of surprises in this novel as well, especially what happens when the psychiatrist, Arthur Lenz, tries to trick the killer. I like the interplay between Harper Cole and the killer, as Cole tries to convince him he's a beautiful woman named Erin. It's a neat cat-and-mouse game, that doesn't end the way in which Cole expects. It's a very readable book and can be quite suspenseful at times. While not the most believable, it's a lot of fun and very entertaining. Worthy of four stars.
What do You think about Mortal Fear (1997)?
It's interesting to read the widely different ratings for this book. I enjoyed it a lot. It currently has a 4, so most readers do like it. The dated computer references didn't bother me. I found the plot more believable than others did. I think there is a lot more computer sex of every variation than many people realize. I do enjoy Iles as an author and marvel at his ability to weave multiple storylines into one master line. I enjoyed Quiet Games and True Evil more, but this book is a lot better than many other authors I have read.
—Dave
I am almost finished with this book and it is my least favorite of Iles' books. It is technologically outdated, and in 1997 it may have seemed pretty interesting, but not so much in 2009. That aside, it is too long, and needs more vigorous editing. I skipped over pages of extraneous information. I think it would have been a much better read if it had been cleaned up. The plot is not believable and the some of the characters do stupid things which irritated me. Of course, some of that is due to the use of technology as a device in the book.
—Kate
My introduction to Greg Iles was a recommendation from Goodreads and I have yet to be disappointed with his thrillers. That being said, the two best books I've read by him were the first two, so the last two books, including this one, are a little bit of a letdown.'Mortal Fear' has all the elements of every Iles book I've read: Well-drawn first person protagonist, sex and violence that in this book almost becomes gratuitous but mostly presented tastefully, a compelling story line, and a strong 'villian' character. After reading the three 'Penn Cage' series books, this is the first of the free-standing 'Mississippi' novels. Iles grew up in and lives in the state, so his backgrounding is detailed, interesting and accurate. The supporting cast is interesting and compelling, especially Erin. The story line is a little over the top but holds one's interest throughout. Recommended, but I think 'The Quiet Game' is the best starting point for someone interested in exploring this author.
—Paul
